Ideas for ielts topics Who is this book for?

Working parents (also see “gender” topic)

Children and their parents seem to be less close nowadays

Parents spend less time with their children

Women traditionally stayed at home to cook, clean and look after children

Nowadays both parents often work full time

Children may be left alone, or with nannies or babysitters

Busy parents have less contact with their children

Many families no longer eat meals together

Children spend more time with friends or surfing the Internet

Negative effects on Children

The lack of closeness in families can have a negative effect on children

Many parents have no idea how their children spend their time

Friends, television and the Internet become the main influence on children’s behavior

Teenagers are influenced by peer pressure

Some of them join gangs

Juvenile delinquency is on the increase

Parents should be more involved with their children’s upbringing

Young people need positive role models

Divorce

In the past, divorce was unacceptable

It was considered to be embarrassing for a family

People stayed together for religious or family reasons

Divorce is more socially acceptable nowadays

It has become much more common

Divorce can be extremely stressful

Lone parents may face financial difficulties

Many single parents have to rely on benefits paid by the state

Divorce can have a negative effect on children

Children from single-parent families are more likely to get lower grades or drop out of school.

The rise in divorce rates may be connected to some social problems